Caffeine Guidelines Before Your Stress Test

Before the test

• Avoid all products that contain caffeine for 24 hours before the test. This includes coffee, tea, colas, other sodas, energy drinks and chocolate. Please check the list of ingredients to see if a drink or food has caffeine.
• Avoid products labeled as decaffeinated or caffeine-free for 24 hours before the test. These products do contain very small amounts of caffeine.
• DO NOT take any over-the-counter medication that contains caffeine for 24 hours before the test. Examples of these medications are on the pack of this handout. Ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are unsure whether any of your medications contain caffeine. Do not stop taking any medication without first talking with your doctor.

Do not drink these beverages for 24 hours before your test

• Coffee (regular or decaffeinated)
• Tea (regular or decaffeinated)
• Any carbonated beverage (regular or diet) that contains caffeine or is labeled decaffeinated or caffeine-free)
• Energy drinks that contain caffeine
• Chocolate or coffee liquors
• Chocolate milk, chocolate milkshakes, hot chocolate and chocolate drinks
• Cocoa mix, malt powder, chocolate flavoring

Do not eat these foods for 24 hours before your test

• All chocolate products, including candy, fudge, chocolate-covered snacks, brownies, cakes, eclairs, ice cream, and puddingPLEASE NOTE: If you are not sure if a food or beverage contains caffeine, it is best not to eat or drink it.

These are some common medications containing caffeine. Not all medications that contain caffeine are listed. Check the labels of all over-the-counter medications for the caffeine content before you take them. Or, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you aren't sure whether a medication contains caffeine.

Common over-the-counter medications that contain caffeine

• Actamin Super (Acetaminophen)
• Anacin (regular and Maximum Strength )
• Aspirin-Free Excedrin Caplets
• Bayer Select Maximum Strength Headache Pain Relief
• Dristan Capsules.
• Excedrin (regular and Extra Strength)
• Goody's Extra Strength Tablets
• Goody's Headache Powder
• Midol Menstrual Maximum Strength Caplets
• Midol for Cramps Maximum Strength Caplets
• NoDoz
• Vanquish Caplets
• Vivarin

Common prescription medications containing caffeine

• Cafergot® Suppositories (other names: Cafertrine®, Cafetrate, Migergot®, Wigraine®
• Cafergot® Tablets (other names: Ercaf®, ErgoCaff®, Gotamine®, Wigraine®
• Darvon® Compound 65 Puvules
• Fiorinal® Capsules and Tablets
• Fiorinal® with Codeine No. 3
• Norgesic® and Norgesic Forte®; Norphadrine Forte®
• Triaminicin® with Codeine Tablets